Green thumb gift guide

Atlas gardening gloves

Photograph by: www.atlasgloveshop.co.uk
, www.atlasgloveshop.co.uk

It's Round 1 of gifts for gardeners or as my wife calls it, "Your way of telling me what YOU want for Christmas." Would I be so brazen as to use this list of gifts intended to help out my gardening friends for personal and ulterior motives? Yup, in a second. So here we go:

1) I still think a gardening book is one of the best gifts because it truly never stops giving. One of the best new books for gift giving comes from Hole's. Hole's Dictionary of Hardy Perennials: The Buyers Guide for Professionals, Collectors and Gardeners is one of the best reference books for gardening in northern Alberta.

General editor Jim Hole and his perennials staff have managed to take the mystery out of buying perennials with this must-have resource. This has become one of my favourite references.

2) All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space by Mel Bartholmew. Those of you who are regular readers know that I have extolled the virtues of Mel's gardening system on many occasions and now I am pleased to tell you that Mel has released his newest book, in which he adds new features to his method of gardening in even the smallest of spaces. This should be in every gardener's library.

3) I am always looking for gardening tools that make life easier. This year's best tool gift has to be the Garden Bandit. This weeding tool not only cuts through soil lumps, but it's also great for weeding between plants without damaging them and is one of the best weeders for removing chickweed. Greenland Garden Centre has them in stock among other garden centres.

4)One of the most practical and innovative ideas is to give your gardener a gift certificate for a one-hour session with a garden planner. Ask your local garden centre if they have a garden design department and if you can buy a gift certificate for such a session.

5) I have always loved Atlas gardening gloves, but that is from a male perspective. For women, I am told the most comfortable and beautiful gardening glove is the Ethel Glove. Greenland Garden Centre has these in stock.

6)An education course from the Devonian Botanic Garden is enjoyable to take and can be invaluable for improving gardening knowledge, techniques or just for general interest. The topics are varied, covering many aspects of gardening. Prices vary according to the course. For more information, go to http://www.devonian.ualberta.caor call

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